Importance of a safe farming environment
All activities engaged in on our farm are conducted in such a way that they promote safe working environments for everyone. Various improvement activities have been adopted to ensure that the farm is safe as well as to ensure maximum production and exploitation of any opportunities present. A good example of the safety measures implemented is the adoption of new farming technology. The firm has made a switch from hand labor and have substituted to using mechanical harvesters and box loaders during production. By assigning most duties to machines, we hope to reduce risks brought about by human error. Machines are not as prone to mistakes as human beings and are therefore capable of increasing the quality of production without increasing risks or production cost.
Machines also have an added advantage in that they are not prone to fatigue. Other than reducing the mistakes that originate from human mistakes, machines also help to maintaining n a steady flow of production. Their ability to work continuously if well maintained helps to enhance efficiency and create a conducive working environment. This is especially because the workers are not pushed to their limits or forced to work when fatigued in order to meet the set objectives. The provision of machines to assist with the difficult duties makes the working environment safer because they take on more risks and since they are designed to make the least mistakes possible, accidents rarely occur.
The firm also tries to minimize the duration in which farmers are exposed to harmful substances such as pesticides. The work schedules are planned in such a way that those in tobacco plantations do not stay too long in the damp environment to reduce the occurrence of Green Tobacco sickness. Creating a safe environment for workers is a priority as they are the ones to help meet the objectives set. To ensure that only appropriate measures are implemented, farmers are frequently consulted and encouraged to share ideas on what can be done to make the working environment safer.
Other than implementing policies to enhance safety at the farm, it is also important to ensure that the guidelines set are adhered to. There is a zero tolerance policy in the farm to ensure that workers and anyone with access to the farm does not violate the safety measures put in place to safeguard the well being of everyone in the farm. Workers are also trained on a regular basis where they are equipped with the skills needed to operate the new forms of technology incorporated in the production process. They are also taught on the importance of engaging in safe practices when performing their duties. The training helps all workers to understand the importance of a safe working environment and in doing so, teaches everyone the importance of a safety first mindset.
The emphasis on safe farming is due to the role that workers play in ensuring that desirable results are achieved. The workers ensure that the farm is well taken care of and that the produce is well handled. Due to the perishable nature of the crop cultivated, maintaining a good working environment motivates workers to take the farms interest as their own and ensure that the actions they engage in are geared towards meeting these objectives. A safe farming environment will therefore be ideal as it not only improves the quality of production, it also helps get workers invested in the farm’s overall objectives.
